• COCKNEY. AMUSEMENTS OF EASTER WEEK.
AT this point of time, when we, in common with our fellow-ca- terers for the amusement of the public, are contributing our Easter Due (which we cannot say, with Lubin Log, is " qUite koptiomd"), in the shape of our annual programme of the -Holy- day Sights, we cannot but envy the enjoyment of the thousands who are busily occupied in considering how they shall spend Easter. No lickerish urchin, fresh from school-diet, of sky-blue and bread which has scraped so slight an acquintance with butter as only to make more sensible the unkindness of the cut, was ever more Puzzled which to choose out of all the sweet attractions of a pastry- cook's shop, than the Cockney apprentice on an Easter Monday, to select some one amusement out of the number that tempt him on every side. How he hovers about from play-bill to play-bill ! The ass between the two bundles of hay is a faint type of his in- decision—the butterfly among the flowers too indolent—the Sultan in his harem too sated—the Englishman at Tortoni's too ignorant. It beggars comparison. The Lord Mayor, inmercy to his per- plexity, has abolished the Easter ball ; and the Epping 'unt is voted low : but Greenwich luis yet its attractions of boats and of booths, with the choice of a somerset down One-tree Hill or a toss out of a swing. The splendours of the Crown and Anchor canvass ball-room—the ambulatory Almacks of the dancing-booths—its mulitudinous tallow candles and the blaze of illumination-lamps ; the heat and the crowding in higher perfection than at the most suffocating rout; the exertions of the dancers visible in the streams of perspiration, guiltless of rouge; the desire to throw off the coat, only repressed by the fear of its being stolen; the lank tresses of the female " votaries of Terpsichore," whose faces vie with their arms in redness ; the casual fight—or turn-up, as it is aptly termed, to illustrate the good luck of the casualty ;—these are among the many attractions of Greenwich at Easter. " Distance' lends enchantment" to the scene, and excitement to the delight : the ,crowded omnibus and the thronged road—either a slough of mud or a fog. of dust—the flaunting ribbons and the splendid waistcoat, dear as the lama and blonde of the dowager 'duchess, or the pearls and the feathers of the drawing-room debutante. But what a world of delights does the Town offer! Is it nothing to perambulate the street on a work-day, sporting a new coat of glossy blue with gilded buttons and with a flow of white trowsers beneath; passing with triumphant unconcern the shops where less fortunate youths are imprisoned within a counter? Is it nothing for the damsel to " walk in silk attire, and siller have to spare" for the sights of London?—be they the old-fashioned wonder of St. Paul's, and the Tower, and the Monument; or those newer curiosities the Thames Tunnel, the Coliseum, and the Duke of York's Pillar ?
Apropoi of this novelty. In our last walk through town, its base was scarcely visible through the lattice-work .of scaffolding that surrounded it; but now the column stands forth in naked poverty—poor as the Duke whose statue it does not support. It looks solid, but it is hollow as the pretensions it perpetuates. To those who have not seen this "tall bully," we feel it necessary to direct them to. Waterloo Place; for they may otherwise mistake some of the numerous steam:engine chimnies or shot factory towers for it, to the great injustice of those lofty structures. They May also wish, to know for what purpose it. is placed there- -whether to calumniate the Duke's memory, or to pillory his poverty? It is intended to place a statue in bronze upon the top, greater than the Royal Duke himself when living, and of more weight. The reason of this is, that the Duke having been Commander-in- *Chief, it was proper that his statue should be at the head of a co- lumn, if he himself never was.
" We will suppose a group of holyday visitors to have taken a peep at the Pimlico Palace from the top of the Pillar, (which may be as- cended within like the Monument, and remarked the slight im- provement-made in this "architectural abortion), by screening the egg-shell dome from sight, and by elevating the centre of the building; to have stretched as far as Hyde Park Corner to see if the "Dear Duke" has mended his windows ; and after laughing at his pertinacious folly. in not doing so, wonderineb of what use is the Portico of St. George's Hospital, and how the classic Mr. Thaws could allow a stack of chimnies to be the crowning ornament of the centre of its front facing. the Park. Returning along Piccadilly, they make for the Haymarket, and pause beneath the handsome portico—newly-whitened for the sea- son--(if their favourite little Theatre, an hour before the doors open. The hill Of fare is tempting. John Bull, with DOWTON as Job Thornberry ;. Mr. Evros; a promising tragedian of no mean I talent-as Peregrine; . fat and may Mr. WEEsas as Dennis; and Mrs. YarEs—the Mademoiselle MARS of the English stage— as Mary Thornberry ; with a new piece by the author of John Jones; and a company including Mrs. GLOVER, Mrs. HONEY, Mrs. HUMBY, VINING, WEBSTER, and our hearty Kentuckian Mr. }hour's, who is shortly to appear as .Rip Van Winkle. Re- solving at all events to see the American comedian, they proceed to the English Opera, which like the Haymarket has been grants(' an extension of its season, and also opens on Easter Monday, Crossing the fine opening at Charing Cross, and wondering what will be made of it,—and • admiring the new range of buildings forming the east side of Trafalgar Square,—they ascend the steps Of St. Martin's Church, to see that the line marked out for the front of the intended new. National Gallery, as indicated by two white poles, does not intercept the portico under which they stand. Then passing through the Lowther Arcade, pleased with the chaste richness of its architectural decorations, they cross the Strand to admire the elegant simplicity of the new Hungerford Market; with its spacious. area, and Italian roofs supported on granite pillars, with arches in front. They next arrive at the Adelphi Theatre, which never ceases to resound with the applause and laughter of crowded audiences. Only last week YATES made his farewell conge for the season; and now Mr. ARNOLD reopens it with his company, until his new Summer Theatre is rebuilt; when we hope MATHEWS and YATES will be induced to raise the roof, and remodel the interior of their oven of a theatre, without waiting for its being burnt down. * ARNOLD, they perceive, commences his campaign with a new piece, in which JOHN REEVE and 0. SMITH, together with -Miss MURRAY, the nave young debutante from the Olympic, and pretty MiSs FERGUSON, appear. Miss KELLY and WRENCH are like- wise there, as usual. REEVE'S Cupid attracts our party ; but they press furward to Covent Garden, where they are spell-bound by the wonders of Mr. FARLEY'S new tale of enchantment called The Elfin Sprite and the Grim Grey Woman. Ogre PAYNE, clever Miss POOLE, and little MITCHISON, who played Puss-in-boots, are included in the cast of characters. The Hunchback precedes it on Monday night; on Tuesday, VEsrats,Who prorogued her house in due Parliamentary form, but infinitely more pleasantly, last week, and POWER, who has left Drury in disgust, appear in the favourite piece of The Invimibles ; and on Wednesday, a really black Othello, in the person of the " African Roscius "—a native of Senegal bearing the un-African name of ALDRIDGE—is announced to appear. While Or party are making up their minds where to choose, we step across to the Strand Theatre,and are glad to find, that, to make the most of the short time during which.Miss KELLY can repeat her monodramatic entertainment, Mrs. Parthian will be "At Home" every night during Easter week.. Astley s, too, hoists its 'flaunting pennon, announcing the Siege of Troy, with chariot,- races, Ste.; and DUCROW with all his chivalry will again make their gorgeous career around the sawdust-strewed arena. Sadler 's Wells, the City Theatre, the Surry, and the- Coburg, havealso each their attractions for their respective neighbourhoods. But we have left half the sights unseen yet. Besides Dramas, there are the Panoramas, Dioramas, Cosmoramas, Physioramas, and the whole tribe of pictorial exhibitions ending in rams.. The Siege of Antwerp in Leicester Square will be besieged ; crowds will flock to the Coliseum, to see London as it can only else be seen from the top of St. Paul's at four o'clock in the morning ; many will pop into the Diorama to get a peep at Paris, and Abe Cemetery at Pisa; and the Monkeys and Macaws atithe Zoological -Gardens, both in the Regent's Park and at Walworth, will have a haid day's work of it. The Elephant will be in danger of belly- ache flora swallowing an excessive buShel Of apples, and the Lions will be savage at being ()Mimed' to pass a sleepless day. The Stuffed Birds and Beasts at the British. Museum, will not be visi- ble; that institution being closed at holyday time, in order to give a score of attendants a week's idleness just when all the world are wanting to see the curiosities. The colosSal fragments of Egyp- tion art will repose this Easter in a desert stillness • the Townley Marbles might, for the time, as well be hidden under the ruins -whence they were dug ; and the immortal beauty of the Sculp- tures of the Parthenon will be no more gazed at by Cockney eyes than if they yet adorned the Temple at Athens. The chefs- Ifceuvre of -Painting at ANGERSTEIN'S old house in Pall' Mall, which form the nucleus of the National collection, will be visible -the first four days of the week ; and there are also the productions -of the Modern painters at the Gallery of the British Institution in Pall Mall, and at that of the Society of British Artists in Suffolk -Street.
There is yet another exhibition of great interest to all who are curious, but especially to the lover of scientific experiments : it is " the Gallery of Practical Science" in Adelaide Street, Strand, at the corner of the Lowther Arcade. There PERKINS'S Steam-gun is let off; models of veSsela are propelled. on a tiny canal, and carriages on an undulating- railroad ; a mouse is sent down in a- diving-bell to the bottom of a tank of water; and a number of curious inventions are shown by means of working models. The Gas Microscope in Old Bond Street, which .is visible at all hours and in all states of the weather; and Caiamtn- ma's Solar Microscope, only when the sun shines—and the Easter week promises more -cloud than sunshine—areboth or either desery- ing of a visit. • In fine, the most perievering sight-seer may confess to being tired before he has exhausted the pleasures of the holyday week in London.
Previous page
